U.S. patent application number 09/377931 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-27 for automatic hair washer.
Invention is credited to SHIMIZU, HIROHISA.
Application Number | 20010054197 09/377931 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18108937 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010054197 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHIMIZU, HIROHISA |
December 27, 2001 |
AUTOMATIC HAIR WASHER
Abstract
An automatic hair washer of the present invention comprises a
heater 20 and a heater control unit 21 in a hot water storing tank
3, and starts the heater 20 by the heater control unit 21 to heat
the wash water to have a predetermined temperature when the wash
water in the hot water storing tank 3 has a temperature below the
predetermined temperature. Therefore, the wash water remaining in
the hot water storing tank 3 at the end of hair washing is not
drained but used in the following hair washing, thereby saving
water.
Inventors: |
SHIMIZU, HIROHISA; (OSAKA,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BURR & BROWN
P.O. Box 7068
Syracuse
NY
13261-7068
US
|
Family ID: |
18108937 |
Appl. No.: |
09/377931 |
Filed: |
August 20, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/518 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 19/005 20210101;
A45D 19/00 20130101; A45D 19/10 20130101; F24H 9/2021 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/518 |
International
Class: |
A45D 019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 10, 1998 |
JP |
HEI 10-319325 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An automatic hair washer which performs hair washing by
supplying wash water in a hot water storing tank to washing nozzles
comprising: a temperature detecting means for measuring a
temperature of the wash water in the hot water storing tank, a
heater for heating the wash water in the hot water storing tank,
and a heater control means for controlling the heater to operate
and heat the wash water in the hot water storing tank to have a
predetermined temperature when the temperature of the wash water is
below the predetermined temperature.
2. The automatic hair washer defined in claim 1 comprising: a water
amount detecting means for detecting an amount of the wash water in
the hot water storing tank, and a heater control means for
controlling the heater to operate and heat the wash water in the
hot water storing tank to have a predetermined temperature when the
temperature of the wash water is below the predetermined
temperature and the amount of the wash water in the hot water
storing tank is more than a predetermined amount.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic hair washer
which is established in a beauty salon, a barber's shop or the
like, and automatically washes a person's hair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a construction of a prior
art automatic hair washer.
[0003] In the figure, reference numeral 1 designates a mixing for
mixing water and hot water, which is delivered from an external
water supply and an external hot water supply via a curb stop, a
strainer, and a check valve (which are not shown), and preparing
wash water having a temperature suitable for hair washing. Numeral
2 designates a motor valve. Numeral 3 designates a hot water
storing tank for storing the wash water supplied from the mixing 1
via the motor valve 2. Numeral 4 designates a thermistor provided
at a lower position of the hot water storing tank 3 to measure a
temperature of the wash water in the hot water storing tank 3.
Numeral 5 designates a float switch having an upper limit water
level sensor and a lower limit water level sensor, the upper limit
water level sensor enabling to detect whether the wash water is
full or not in the hot water storing tank 3 and the lower limit
water level sensor detecting whether the wash water is very little
or not in the hot water storing tank 3. Numeral 6 designates a hot
water supplying pump for pumping out the wash water from the hot
water storing tank 3. Numeral 7 designates a valve for hand shower.
Numeral 8 designates a drawable hand shower used for washing off
hairs, shampoo agent or rinse agent which are attached to a
cistern, or in finishing hair washing. Character A.sub.1 designates
a hot water supply pipe, one end of which is connected to the hot
water supplying pump 6 to lead the wash water pumped by the hot
water supplying pump 6. Numeral 9 designates a drainage
electromagnetic valve provided in midway of the hot water supply
pipe A.sub.1 to drain unnecessary wash water. Numerals 10a to 10k
designate hot water supplying electromagnetic valves. Characters
SV.sub.1 to SV.sub.11 designate shower heads, each being connected
to an end of the branched hot water supply pipe A.sub.1 to spout
the wash water. Numeral 11 designates a shampoo tank for storing
shampoo agent. Numeral 12 designates a rinse tank for storing rinse
agent. Numeral 13 designates a shampoo supplying pump for pumping
out the shampoo agent from the shampoo tank 11. Numeral 14
designates a rinse supplying pump for pumping out the rinse agent
from the rinse tank 12. Numerals 15 and 16 designate check valves.
Numerals 17a to 17f designate nozzle heads, each being connected to
an end of the branched hot water supply pipe A.sub.1 to spout the
wash water mixed with the shampoo agent or the rinse agent which is
pumped out from the shampoo tank 11 or the rinse tank 12.
[0004] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a
cistern in the prior art automatic hair washer.
[0005] In the figure, the same reference numerals and characters as
those in FIG. 2 designate the same or corresponding parts.
Character B designates a cistern. A person whose hair is to be
washed lies on his back and inserts his head into this cistern B to
have his hair washed. As shown in the figure, a plurality of
washing nozzles are provided inside the cistern B and the wash
water is spouted from these washing nozzles and reaches to the head
of the person under hair washing.
[0006] Hereinafter, operation of the prior art automatic hair
washer will be described.
[0007] First, in an initial operation, hot water and cold water is
given to the mixing 1 from an external water supply and an external
hot water supply via a curb stop, a strainer, and a check valve.
The hot water and the cold water is mixed in the mixing 1 to be
warm water having a temperature suitable for hair washing, and
supplied to the hot water storing tank 3 via the motor valve 2. The
wash water stored in the hot water storing tank 3 is sucked by the
hot water supplying pump 6 and spouted from the shower heads
SV.sub.1 to SV.sub.11 through the hot water supply pipe A.sub.1 via
the hot water supplying electromagnetic valves 10a to 10k. After
the wash water is spouted from the shower heads SV.sub.1 to
SV.sub.11 during a predetermined time, spouting of the wash water
is stopped and the subsequent process, i.e., shampooing process is
started. The shampoo agent pumped by the shampoo supplying pump 13
is spouted from the nozzle heads 17a to 17f together with the wash
water. When the shampooing process ends, the subsequent rinsing
process and the process for washing with clean water follow, and
then a series of washing processes ends.
[0008] In using the above-described prior art automatic hair
washer, when wash water remains in the hot water storing tank at
the end of hair washing, the wash water is drained. This is because
before performing the next hair washing, the time may pass and the
wash water remaining in the hot water storing tank may be cooled,
whereby it may be impossible to use the wash water. Therefore, when
large amount of wash water remains in the hot water storing tank at
the end of hair washing, the large amount of wash water is in vain
and it is quite uneconomical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present
invention to provide an automatic hair washer which does not drain
wash water remaining in the hot water storing tank at the end of
hair washing but uses the wash water in the next hair washing.
[0010] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description and specific
embodiments described are provided only for illustration since
various additions and modifications within the spirit and scope of
the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art from
the detailed description.
[0011] According to a first aspect of the present invention, an
automatic hair washer performing hair washing by supplying wash
water in a hot water storing tank to washing nozzles comprises a
temperature detecting means for measuring a temperature of the wash
water in the hot water storing tank, a heater for heating the wash
water in the hot water storing tank, and a heater control means for
controlling the heater to operate and heat the wash water in the
hot water storing tank to have a predetermined temperature when the
wash water has a temperature below the predetermined temperature.
Therefore, the wash water remaining in the hot water storing tank
at the end of hair washing is not drained but used in the next hair
washing after heated by the heater, thereby saving water.
[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the
automatic hair washer of the first aspect of the present invention
comprises a water amount detecting means for detecting amount of
the wash water in the hot water storing tank, and a heater control
means for controlling the heater to operate and heat the wash water
in the hot water storing tank to have a predetermined temperature
when the wash water has a temperature below the predetermined
temperature and the amount of the wash water in the hot water
storing tank is more than a predetermined amount. Therefore, when
the amount of the wash water in the hot water storing tank is
small, the wash water is not heated by the heater, thereby avoiding
heating an empty tank and saving electricity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a construction of an
automatic hair washer according to a first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a
cistern in the prior art automatic hair washer.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a construction of the prior
art automatic hair washer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Embodiment 1
[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a construction of an
automatic hair washer according to a first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0017] In the figure, the same reference numerals and characters as
those in FIG. 2 designate the same or corresponding parts.
Reference numeral 20 designates a heater for heating wash water in
the hot water storing tank 3. Numeral 21 designates a heater
control unit for controlling the heater 20 in accordance with the
temperature or water level of the wash water in the hot water
storing tank 3.
[0018] Hereinafter, operation of the automatic hair washer
according to the first embodiment will be described.
[0019] First, in an initial operation, hot water and cold water is
given to the mixing 1 from an external water supply and an external
hot water supply via a curb stop, a strainer, and a check valve.
The hot water and the cold water is mixed in the mixing 1 to be
warm water having a temperature suitable for hair washing and
supplied to the hot water storing tank 3 until the hot water
storing tank 3 becomes full.
[0020] The heater control unit 21 monitors the temperature and
water level of the wash water in the hot water storing tank 3 by
the thermistor 4 and the float switch 5 in process of hair washing.
When the temperature of the wash water in the hot water storing
tank 3 is below a set temperature and the water level thereof is
over the lowest water level, the heater control unit 21 switches on
the heater 20 to heat the wash water in the hot water storing tank
3 to have the set temperature.
[0021] On the other hand, when the wash water in the hot water
storing tank 3 has a temperature below the set temperature and the
water level is below the lowest water level, the heater control
unit 21 does not start the heater 20 or, when the heater 20 is
already working, switches off the heater 20. When the water level
of the wash water in the hot water storing tank 3 is below the
lowest water level, when hair washing is to be continued
thereafter, warm water is supplied from the mixing 1 to replenish
the hot water storing tank 3, and when hair washing is to be ended,
the wash water remaining in the hot water storing tank 3 is drained
from the drainage electromagnetic valve 9, whereby there is no need
for insulation by the heater 20 in either case.
[0022] In the first embodiment, the heater 20 and the heater
control unit 21 are provided in the hot water storing tank 3, and
when the wash water in the hot water storing tank 3 has a
temperature below the predetermined temperature, the heater 20 is
started by the heater control unit 21, whereby the temperature of
the wash water is set to the predetermined temperature. Therefore,
even if the large amount of the wash water remains in the hot water
storing tank 3 at the end of hair washing, the wash water is not
drained but can be used in the following hair washing, thereby
saving water. In addition, when the heater control unit 21 detects
that the wash water in the hot water storing tank 3 has a
temperature below the set temperature by the thermistor 4 and that
the water level thereof is below the lowest water level by the
float switch 5, heating of the wash water by the heater 20 is not
performed, thereby avoiding heating an empty tank and saving
electricity.
* * * * *